Storage rack for discs, cassettes and the like

Abstract

A storage rack for relatively thin, flat articles such as audio or video cassettes, compact discs, or computer discs comprises a shelf unit having a rear wall and a plurality of spaced parallel shelf flanges projecting outwardly from the rear wall, and a support for supporting the shelf unit in a generally upright orientation with its rear wall inclined rearwardly. Each adjacent pair of shelf flanges is arranged to slidably receive the rear edge portion only of an article and to support the article in a generally horizontal orientation with its outermost edge located in a staggered relationship relative to the next adjacent articles.

We claim: 
     
       1. A storage rack for flat, rectangular articles such as compact discs, computer discs, videocassettes or audio cassettes comprising: a shelf unit of extruded material having a rear wall and a plurality of spaced, parallel shelf flanges projecting outwardly from a front face of the rear wall to a predetermined width substantially less than the corresponding width dimension of an article when stored in the unit;   support feet projecting from the rear face of the rear wall for selectively supporting the rear wall in a horizontal orientation on a horizontal support surface;   support means removably mounted on said rear wall for selectively supporting said shelf unit in a generally upright orientation with its rear wall inclined rearwardly;   hanger means on said rear wall for selectively hanging said rack on a vertical wall with said rear wall inclined outwardly from said wall; and   each adjacent pair of shelf flanges comprising shelf means for slidably receiving the rearmost edge portion of an article to be stored, and supporting means for supporting said article in a horizontal orientation when said shelf unit is upright with the outermost edge of each article located in a staggered relationship relative to the next adjacent articles.   
     
     
       2. The rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shelf unit has a length equal to at least one article width. 
     
     
       3. The rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer ends of said flanges are tilted upwardly and each outer flange end comprises means for seating against a lower surface portion of a stored article. 
     
     
       4. The rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower surface of each flange includes shaped formations for bearing against the upper surface of an object stored between that surface and the next adjacent flange to support said object. 
     
     
       5. The rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein each flange includes a first, inner portion extending substantially perpendicular to said rear wall and a second, outer portion inclined upwardly from said inner portion. 
     
     
       6. The rack as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second portion is inclined upwardly at an angle between 25 and 45 degrees to said first portion. 
     
     
       7. The rack as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second portion has a flattened upper edge portion for seating an undersurface portion of an article. 
     
     
       8. The rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rear wall is tilted at an angle of between 70 to 75 degrees to the horizontal. 
     
     
       9. The rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rear wall is flat. 
     
     
       10. The rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein each shelf means has a rear wall comprising a V-shaped indent between each adjacent pair of flanges, the upper part of each indent being substantially vertical and comprising means for locating the rearmost, flat edge of an article to be stored. 
     
     
       11. The rack as claimed in claim 10, wherein the height of the upper part of each shelf rear wall is substantially equal to the thickness of the article to be stored in that shelf . 
     
     
       12. The rack as claimed in claim 11, wherein the shelf unit has a length sufficient to accommodate a plurality of vertically stacked columns of articles. 
     
     
       13. The rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein said shelf unit includes shelf means for storing different types of articles. 
     
     
       14. The rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spacing between each adjacent pair of flanges is predetermined according to the type of article to be stored between said flanges. 
     
     
       15. The rack as claimed in claim 14, including pairs of flanges having different spacings for accommodating 18 different types of articles. 
     
     
       16. The rack as claimed in claim 15, wherein the shelf unit has a plurality of shelf means for storing compact discs, a plurality of shelf means for storing video cassettes, and a plurality of shelf means for storing audio cassettes. 
     
     
       17. A storage rack for flat, rectangular articles such as compact discs, computer discs, videocassettes, or audio cassettes, comprising: a shelf unit having a rear wall and a plurality of spaced, parallel shelf flanges projecting outwardly from said rear wall to a predetermined width substantially less than the corresponding width dimension of an article when stored in the unit to define an article receiving recess between each adjacent pair of shelf flanges;   support means for supporting said shelf unit in a generally upright, rearwardly inclined orientation, said support means comprising at least one generally L-shaped support member, one leg of said support member extending horizontally under the lower end of said shelf unit and the other leg of said support member extending vertically to support a rear portion of said rear wall with said shelf unit inclined at a predetermined angle to the horizontal; and   each article receiving recess including upper, lower, and inner wall portions for engaging the opposite upper and lower faces and the innermost edge of an article inserted between the flanges;   said upper and lower wall portions extending generally perpendicular to said inner wall portion of said recess, and said inner wall portion being orientated to extend vertically when said shelf unit is inclined at said predetermined angle;   said upper, lower and inner wall portions of each recess comprising means for supporting said article in a horizontal orientation with its outermost edge located in a staggered relationship relative to the next adjacent article.   
     
     
       18. The rack as claimed in claim 17, wherein said support members are removably mounted on said shelf unit for allowing said shelf unit to be supported with its rear wall horizontal. 
     
     
       19. The rack as claimed in claim 18, wherein said rear wall includes foot means for supporting said rear wall horizontally on a flat support surface. 
     
     
       20. The rack as claimed in claim 17, wherein said upper wall portion comprises a generally flat, horizontal inner surface of each shelf flange for bearing against an upper surface portion of a horizontally supported article, and said lower wall portion comprises a generally flat, horizontal outer end portion of each shelf flange spaced upwardly and outwardly from the inner surface portion of said flange for bearing against a lower surface portion of said article at a location spaced outwardly from said upper surface portion.